Fix wages nationwide, labor groups tell Duterte

As the P25 minimum wage increase for Metro Manila workers took effect on Thursday, labor group Federation of Free Workers (FFW) and affiliates belonging to a coalition called Nagkaisa urged President Duterte to form a presidential commission that would study the creation of a national wage fixing mechanism.

In a statement, FFW said the P25 wage increase, approved by the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board, was “latest proof of how wages fixed under the mechanism deepens inequality rather than eradicate chronic poverty.”

Failure

It said the group and other Nagkaisa affiliates believed “the meager increase simply fits into the 1989 template” created by Republic Act No. 6727, which bases wage increases on employers’ capacity to pay rather than on workers’ standard of living.

FFW said during the presidential election campaign, Duterte recognized that setting wages by regions was a failure.

“He himself announced the need to overhaul the system,” said Sonny Matula, FFW president.

“But until today, no executive action has been done so far to walk his pledge,” Matula added.

Another labor group, Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), said workers were unable to feel the impact of the P25 wage increase because of inflation.

Purchasing power

Alan Tanjusay, ALU-TUCP spokesperson, said the purchasing power of P25 nowadays was just P17.50.

“It has no impact,” Tanjusay said.

The government, he added, should step in and fill the gap by giving workers a monthly food voucher worth at least P500.

Tanjusay said Duterte had “neither said yes nor no to our proposal.”

“So we remain hopeful,” he added. - By: Tina G. Santos - Reporter / @santostinaINQ

New Metro Manila minimum wage set at P500 to P537

Wage Order No. 22 will take effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper, but labor groups say the increase won't help workers struggling with rising inflation

SEEKING WORK. Hundreds troop to the Quezon City Hall for a job fair on May 1, 2018. File photo by Darren Langit/Rappler 

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday, November 5, confirmed the P25 across-the-board wage hike for minimum wage earners in Metro Manila.

New minimum wage rates for agricultural workers, firms in the manufacturing sector with at most 10 workers, and firms in the retail as well as service sectors with at most 15 workers will earn at least P500 daily, from the previous P475.

Non-agricultural workers, meanwhile, will soon have a daily minimum wage of P537 from P512.

Under Wage Order No. 22, the P10 cost of living allowance (COLA) will also become part of the basic pay. Previously, the minimum basic pay ranged from P465 to P502, with an additional P10 COLA.

National Wages and Productivity Commission Executive Director Criselda Sy explained that the integration of COLA in the basic pay means bigger computations for overtime pay and 13th month pay.

The new wage order will be effective 15 days from publication in a newspaper. Sy said a copy of the order will be sent to their office on Monday afternoon.

The order was signed by DOLE, the Department of Trade and Industry, National Economic and Development Authority, and an employers' group representative. Labor group representatives signed the order, but with reservations.

The wage order can still be appealed within 10 days upon publication. But Sy said there were no appeals that had been successfully granted in the past.

Higher inflation?

Asked whether the regional board could have approved a higher increase, Sy explained that doing so might lead to "secondary inflationary effects."

"It could be a potential source of secondary inflationary effects. Inflation is at 6.7% and it could be higher if we implement a higher wage hike," she said.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said on Monday that the P25 wage hike had already been taken into consideration in its latest inflation forecasts – 5.2% for 2018, 4.3% for 2019, and 3.2% for 2020.

Sy also warned that the minimum wage policy "may be overburdened" with a higher rate, and may also lead to layoffs, if employers are unable to accommodate the additional cost.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III noted that the decision to implement the P25 wage hike was reached to "balance" the interests of both workers and employers. The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) had called for a P100 hike, down from the initial P334, during discussions.

"In deciding [the] minimum wage adjustment, the board needs to balance the needs of workers and their families, with the capacity of enterprises to pay the additional labor cost, without impairing businesses, especially [their] capacity to continuously generate jobs," Bello said.

Based on Republic Act No. 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act, each region in the Philippines has a unique minimum wage set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards. The factors taken into consideration include the poverty threshold, employment rate, and cost of living specific to the region.

'Overworked, underpaid workers'

Labor groups slammed the "measly" P25 increase, saying it is "not a relief" for workers.

ALU-TUCP said inflation would continue to "prolong" the plight of workers, and warned of further strikes.

"By not giving a substantial wage increase, we are looking at disgruntled, dissatisfied workers, with or without unions, demanding higher wages, directly confronting employers and business owners, creating tension within the enterprise level thereby disturbing and breaking the fragile industrial peace," ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.

Meanwhile, Partido Manggagawa said the hike is "30% short" of making up for the P35.84 "erosion" in wages, according to its own estimate.

"P25 is just alms, not relief to overworked yet underpaid Filipino workers. P25 cannot compensate for the [almost] 7% runaway inflation in Metro Manila and real wage stagnation, despite 50% productivity growth from 2001 to 2016," Partido Manggagawa president Rene Magtubo said. – Aika Rey Rappler.com

Metro workers seek P100 wage increase

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) on Friday appealed for President Rodrigo Duterte’s intervention as it pushed its demand for a P100-daily wage increase for workers in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Men work in a construction site in Barangay Pag-asa in Quezon City. PHOTO BY RUY MARTINEZ

The group sought the President’s help a day after the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) approved a P25- increase for minimum wage workers in the NCR.

The group said a P100 wage hike would raise the P512 daily minimum wage to P612, an amount that would enable workers and their families to cope with rising prices.

“In behalf of all poorly paid 4 million Metro Manila minimum wage workers and their families in Metro Manila who are suffering due to expensive cost of living brought by the astonishing inflation in the past 10 months, we are appealing to President Duterte’s kind-hearted ‘malasakit’ to please spare a portion of your presidential powers in favor of the working class by raising the recent ‘unofficial’ and measly P25 daily wage increase to at least P100 a day,” ALU-TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said.

“Mr. President, workers and their families have been longing to taste the fruits of your ‘Tunay na Pagbabago’ (genuine change) for all Filipinos. Now is the time to make businesses’ profits and the country’s economic wealth to truly trickle down to troubled workers who also help built the country and businesses to thrive but were left behind by flawed policies and greedy businessmen,” he added.

The ALU-TUCP originally sought a P334 a day wage increase but settled for P100. The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) made a counter offer of P25.

The labor representatives in the seven-man tripartite wage board were outvoted by employers and government representatives in the last minute bargaining. - By WILLIAM DEPASUPIL, TMT

Duterte urged to stand up for workers

Labor groups on Friday appealed to President Duterte to stand up for workers in the wake of reports that a measly P25 daily salary increase has been approved for minimum wage earners in Metro Manila.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (REY BANIQUET/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

Instead of the paltry adjustment, the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) urged President Duterte to use his presidential powers by raising daily wage hike to at least P100 a day.

Labor groups had earlier called for a P335 daily minimum wage increase for private workers in Metro Manila to help them cope with rising inflation rate. Employers, however, reportedly opposed the huge wage adjustment proposal, warning that it might hit businesses and scare away investors.

“In behalf of all poorly paid four million Metro Manila minimum wage workers and their families in Metro Manila who are suffering due to expensive cost of living brought about by the astonishing inflation in the past 10 months, we are appealing to President Duterte’s kind-hearted ‘malasakit’ to please spare a portion of your presidential powers in favor of the working class by raising the ‘unofficial’ and measly P25 daily wage increase to at least P100 a day,” ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said in a statement.

Should the President authorize a P100 daily wage increase, the current daily minimum wage of P512 will increase to P612 a day, Tanjusay said. This would enable workers and their families to at least temporarily tide things over and get by through the hardship brought about by the rising inflation.

“Mr. President, workers and their families have been longing to taste the fruits of your ‘TunaynaPagbabago’ (genuine change) for all Filipinos. Now is the time to make businesses’s profits and the country’s economic wealth truly trickle down to troubled workers who also help build the country’s economy and businesses to thrive but are left behind by flawed policies and greedy businessmen,” he said.

“Mr. President, you have demonstrated in several instances your proven political will as shown in many instances whereby you intervened and took matters into your hands and make policies right and institutions work for the interest of the Filipino people. This time, at the most period of your presidency, we urge you to stand up for workers and their families and don’t let us down at a time when we needed you the most,” Tanjusay added.

The decision of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region on the salary increase for minimum wage earners in Metro Manila will be known next week.
The Department of Labor and Employment said the decision of the wage board will be announced in a press briefing Monday, November 5.

On Thursday, Malacañang assured that the interests of the labor sector and employers would be taken into consideration in any decision on the petition seeking to increase minimum wage hike in Metro Manila.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo gave the assurance while dismissing as unofficial the reported P25 wage hike.

“As of October 31, the reported P25 wage hike for minimum wage workers has yet to be approved by the National Wage and Productivity Commission (NWPC). Therefore, the figure being disseminated is not official,” Panelo said.

“The Palace assures everyone that the interests and well-being of both sides – management and labor – as well as the overall impact to our domestic economy, would be considered by the government in attending to this matter,” Panelo added.

Reports had earlier circulated that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region has approved the P25 minimum wage hike for private workers in Metro Manila.

Labor groups slammed the small amount reportedly approved by the wage board. By Leslie Ann Aquino (With a report from Genalyn D. Kabiling)

Big labor group demands P100 pay hike, pleads for Duterte’s push

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Friday appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to intervene and raise the suggested 25-peso increase in the minimum wage to P100.

“In behalf of all the poorly paid four million minimum-wage workers and their families in Metro Manila who are suffering due to the high inflation rate, we are appealing to President Duterte to raise the minimum wage to at least P100 a day,” ALU-TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said in a statement.

READ: P25-wage hike a pittance—Labor

The labor group said the workers and their families had been longing to taste the fruit of genuine change.

“Now is the time to make the businesses’ profits and the country’s economic wealth to truly trickle down to the troubled workers,” Tanjusay said.

READ: Solomonic deal on wage hike pushed

The ALU-TUCP says P100 a day will change the current daily minimum wage of P512 to P612 a day―an amount that would enable workers and their families to get by.

“We urge you Mr. President, not to totally believe what all your economic managers are saying. Your economic managers are just lip-servicing you and are not telling you the whole truth,” Tanjusay said.

“What they are telling you are half-truths to artificially make you feel good, but in reality, the masses are drifting in poverty made worse by the implementation of TRAIN.”

The ALU-TUCP is blaming the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines for allegedly announcing prematurely the decision of the wage boards to keep wages at the barest minimum. - by Vito Barcelo

DoLE backtracks on P25 wage hike

The P25 wage increase announced by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) for private sector workers in Metro Manila is not yet official pending review by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).

Labor Secretary Silvestre Belo 3rd. PHOTO BY RUSSELL PALMA

On Thursday, Malacañang spokesman Salvador Panelo and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd issued separate clarifications that the NCR wage board’s announcement was not yet executory because the result of the final tripartite consultation held on Tuesday that pegged the wage adjustment at P25 per day would still be forwarded to the NWPC and to the Office of the President for their final say.

The Manila Times has learned that during Tuesday’s meeting, there was a deadlock between the P25 proposal of employers and the P100 proposal of the labor sector, which prompted the seven-man RTWPB to break it through voting.

“After the voting, the P25 wage increase proposal of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) prevailed. The voting was 5 in favor and 2 against. The labor group was outvoted,” Alan Tanjusay, spokesman of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), said.

The RTWPB is composed of two representatives from the labor sector, two from employers and three from the government.

“We are now confused about what’s really happening. Although we already knew that the wage board has already a final decision, what ECOP did was they leaked the decision even as they know fully well that it has yet to go up to the NWPC, then to the Office of the President and then back to Secretary Bello for announcement,” Tanjusay said.

He expressed belief that the ECOP deliberately leaked the P25 wage increase approved by the wage board so that the NWPC would be forced to carry it out.

With the P25 wage increase already reported by media, organized labor reacted strongly, warning that it would create more trouble in work places because workers would continue to demand higher wages because of extraordinary increases in the prices of basic services and cost of services.

“We are warning our social partners, government and employers, that hunger and poverty will only escalate and this will cause more instability from the labor front. We are now telling you that labor groups will file for another wage increase as inflation will continue to rise,” ALU-TUCP vice president Louie Corral said.

Corral added that supervening events will continue to push down workers and the call for wage increase will escalate because the P25 increase is not a “realistic intervention.”

He warned that strikes would disturb the prevailing industrial peace.

Tanjusay said they would continue to fight for a just and substantial wage increase.

“We will invoke that supervening condition exists to justify another round of wage increases. We are not in a normal situation and we are already preparing our petition,” he added.

Tanjusay said the labor sector is pinning their hope on President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Traditionally and historically, we know that the board wage order is dominated by government and employers sector and both camps always connive to outvote the labor representatives and members of the board toward a meager and measly wage increase to keep businesses’ interest which is to keep wages to the barest minimum regardless of workers’ worsening condition just to keep margin of profit,” he added.

Militant labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) said P25 is a “pittance” and not enough to recover the value lost due to inflation. - By WILLIAM DEPASUPIL, TMT

ALU-TUCP says NCR wage positions far apart

THE leading mainstream labor organization said negotiating positions on the minimum wage increase in Metro Manila remain far apart ahead of the wage board’s upcoming decision for the region.

In a phone interview with BusinessWorld, Associated Labor Unions — Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) Spokesperson Alan A. Tanjusay said that the biggest labor coalition in the country is skeptical that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board for the National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) will grant a wage adjustment that will satisfy workers.

ALU-TUCP sought a wage hike of P334, based on its estimate of a living wage for a worker in the region beyond the current pay scale of P512 a day.

Mr. Tanjusay added that ALU-TUCP upgraded its initial counter-offer of P80, as reported earlier this month, to P100 when the NCR wage board had a private meeting on Friday after a public hearing. He described the new P100 offer as “take it or leave it.”

“Anything less than P100, the ALU-TUCP will boycott the proceedings.”

Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECoP) Acting President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. said that his organization will honor any “reasonable” outcome of the wage decision.

“We will respect and comply with their decision given that they make a reasonable one,” he said in a phone interview with BusinessWorld.

ECoP was present during the management consultation and public hearing held by the NCR wage board last week. The employers have been warning that an excessive increase in the minimum wage will have adverse effects not only on business but also employment.

Last week, ECoP Governor Antonio H. Abad, Jr. called on the wage board during its meeting with management to not use inflation as the only basis for raising wages because inflation fluctuates while wages are not subject to reduction.

Mr. Ortiz-Luis said he expects the RTWPB-NCR to make a rational decision.

“I believe the board won’t decide on political and emotional driven motives,” he said.

On Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said that he also believes the NCR wage board will make a reasonable decision.

Mr. Tanjusay noted that Mr. Panelo failed to spell out what he considers reasonable.

“Mr. Panelo did not define, did not qualify what an acceptable wage order is,” the ALU-TUCP spokesperson said.

“We know that the Board is dominated by government and the employers and they always connive to outvote the labor representatives and members of the board to (arrive at) a meager wage increase. It is in the interest of businesses to keep wages to the barest minimum regardless of workers’ worsening condition,” Mr. Tanjusay said in a message to BusinessWorld on Monday. — Gillian M. Cortez

Labor group hits ECOP for dictating ‘measly’ P20 wage increase

Rappler photo

The labor group Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines slammed the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines for dictating a measly P20 wage increase for minimum workers in the National Capital Region during the public hearing on wage increase.

ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the P20 wage increase is being floated by the ECOP as the amount they want the Metro Manila wage board to grant as acceptable to them.

The labor group has filed a P334 wage increase in Metro Manila to be hiked by P334 to reach P846 from the current P512.

The ALU-TUCP cited inflation as the main reason for the proposed hike which rose to 6.2 percent.

Tanjusay said that prices of food and costs of services continue to rise since June, saying there is a need for workers and their families to cope with the current 6.2-percent inflation rate.

Last September, the Department of Labor and Employment announced a P20 hike in the minimum wage in Metro Manila, but the labor group said that proposed hike was an insult to the 4 million wage earners in Metro Manila.

“Considering the searing extraordinary hardship caused by incredibly growing inflation among lowly-waged minimum-waged workers and their families, the ECOP statement is inciting upheaval among workers mostly in slum areas who helped build business and country economy grow but are being treated unjustly,” Tanjusay said.

He said that poor workers are already suffering from government neglect, as the labor group urged business and employers to stop from making highly provocative statements like that.

“We saw and felt once again, how greedy and irresponsible employers and business groups are by continuing to absolutely oppose any wage hike proposal and by defending their profit margin at all costs without due regard to the suffering of their employees particularly at these economically hard times for workers and their families,” the labor group said.

“We can only hope for the best. But with these kinds of poor value and low character shown today by business and employers, let us be ready for the worse,”Tanjusay added. - by Vito Barcelo

Substantial wage hike unlikely, labor admits

LABOR groups sought President Rodrigo Duterte’s intervention for a “substantial” wage increase for some 4 million wage earners in Metro Manila, after a consultation on Monday with the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR).

Representatives of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) submitted during the meeting a supplementary position paper amending its original P320 daily wage hike petition filed in June 2018 to P334 a day.

ALU-TUCP Vice President Louie Corral admitted that the petition for a substantial wage increase was unlikely to be granted, saying that “the NCR regional wage boards were just being polite, perfunctory and routine and just wanted to get over it.”

“It looks like the NCR wage board is not sure about its full mandate. These are times of economic hardship and difficulty for workers in a supposedly growing economy. We fear that what we encountered today are wage board members who don’t want to take real responsibility and make the hard decisions for fairness and decency,” Corral said.

Amid rising prices of goods and cost of services, the President should intervene in the wage issue, he said, adding it might be mishandled and result in a backlash against the Duterte government.

“We therefore call on the President to lead from the front on the wage petition issue. Workers are already barely surviving on their daily minimum wages,” Corral said.

Corral claimed that economic managers were pre-empting the wage board deliberations and misleading the President by saying that a substantial wage increase would be inflationary.

Inflation, however, was caused by profiteers and cartels in electricity, petroleum and rice, as well as the excise tax and value-added tax on power and oil, he said.

Metro Manila workers recieve P512 minimum wage a day. The real value or purchasing power of the minimum wage, however, has fallen to P340 a day, the group said.

The last wage increase, amounting to P21 per day, was granted to minimum-wage earners in Metro Manila on Oct. 5, 2017, out of the original petition of P184 per day.

It brought the daily minimum wage rate in the private sector to P512 from P491.

ALU-TUCP has also sought from the government a P500 monthly grocery subsidy for minimum-wage earners to help them cope with rising inflation and eroding wages.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd said he had recommended a P200 subsidy to the President, subject to the approval of the Departments of Finance and of Budget and Management. - By WILLIAM DEPASUPIL, TMT

Labor union pushes P320 wage increase

Current daily minimum wage - NWPC

The Alliance of Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Thursday urged the National Capital Region-Regional Wages and Productivity Board to grant its P320 wage increase petition amid rising prices of goods and the approval of a P1 fare hike for public utility vehicles.

“With the fare increase, there is now a very urgent need for the Metro Manila wage board to grant a substantial wage increase for workers in the NCR for them to survive in the light of the extraordinary increases in prices of basic goods and costs of services in the past 10 months, including this P1 jeepeny fare increase,” ALU-TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay told the Manila Standard.

He said that “a regional across-the-board wage increase of P320 is now needed in NCR because the existing P512 daily minimum wage is not enough for a household with at least five members to survive and live “a decent life.”

By law, the wage can only be raised after a year from the last increase, unless there is a supervening event that will merit an adjustment, the labor group said.

The increase in jeepney and bus fares and the continuing rise in the price of commodities would substantiate the supervening event to merit a wage hike.

Tanjusay said that the last minimum wage increase in Metro Manila took effect on Oct. 5, 2017. The current minimum wage is ₱512.

He said the TUCP would not oppose the P1 fare increase for PUJ granted by the LTFRB, because the increase will improve the take-home pay of the jeepney drivers and help their families cope with the current rate of inflation.

The NCR wage board will meet on Oct. 22 to determine how much of a wage hike to grant Metro Manila workers. -by Vito Barcelo

Labor groups back jeepney fare hike

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines ( ALU-TUCP) will not oppose the P1 fare increase for public utility jeepney as this would help improve the take home pay of jeepney drivers.

Jeepneys pass by the elliptical road near the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City to collect passengers Friday. (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN)

“We will not object to the P1 PUJ fare increase at this time because the increase will improve the take home pay of our jeepney drivers and help their families cope with the current incredible inflation,” said ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay in a statement.

The workers group, however, said that the fare increase calls for a substantial wage increase for workers in the National Capital Region.

ALU TUCP cited the increase in the prices of goods and services as reasons for this.

“There is now a very urgent need for the Metro Manila wage board to grant a substabtial wage increase for workers in the NCR for them to survive in the light of the extraordinary increases in prices of basic goods and costs of services in the past ten months including this P1 jeepney fare increase,” Tanjusay said.

The Federation of Free Workers echoed the same call.

“Before the fare increase takes effect, the wage board should act soon. A paltry salary increase of 20 pesos in Metro Manila will most likely be eaten up this fare increase. A family of five who rides the jeepney at least once a day to get out of the house for work, school or the market, then ride the jeepney again to go back home, would have already used half of the 20 pesos just for jeepney fares,” FFW vice president Julius Cainglet said.

“Congress can do two things: Remove the additional and burdensome excise tax that the TRAIN Law introduced, and increase the wage of workers by legislation,” he added.

The NCR wage board will meet on Monday, October 22 to begin to determine how much amount is the wage increase for NCR workers. - By Leslie Ann Aquino

Sexual harassment victims urged to surface, push rights

ORGANIZED labor has called on victims of sexual harassment in workplaces to come out in the open and fight for their rights.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), the country’s biggest labor group, on Sunday issued the call as it expressed its support to television journalist Gretchen Fullido, who broke her silence about the alleged sexual harassment that she had experienced.

The group said it admires Fullido’s courage in bringing her complaint to court but added that the alleged offenders have also the right to be heard.

PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH An advocate for mental health holds a banner during the solidarity walk held by health advocates in Manila on Sunday to promote mental health. PHOTO BY GERARD SEGUIA

Fullido filed sexual harassment complaint against ABS-CBN News segment producer Maricar Asprec and former ABS-CBN News executive Cheryl Favila who allegedly sent Fullido text messages to asking for sexual favors.

They denied Fullido’s allegations.

“The ALU-TUCP is also monitoring the development of this case for what it can do for other workers experiencing sexual harassment particularly those hesitant to stand up out of real fear and pressure,” ALU spokesman Alan Tanjusay said.

ALU national vice president Eva Arcos expressed belief that there were many victims of sexual harassment in work places who chose to remain silent for fear of reprisal and losing their jobs.

“When something like this happens, we need to provide safety, search for truth, work for justice, facilitate healing and empowerment. We all have obligations to stop all forms of abnormalization and aggravation of violence in workplaces, learning environment and communities,” she said.

Tanjusay said the ALU-TUCP hopes for an expeditious resolution of the case to determine if Fullido was indeed sexually harassed and if the spirit, principles and specific provisions of the Constitution and laws particularly on human, labor and women’s dignity and rights were respected.

Tanjusay also asked the Department of Labor and Employment to come up with a sample workplace policy template and issue an order on workplace romance policy guidelines.

“Many do not know that workplace romance policy, by tweaking its provisions, can boost productivity and creativity of employees. Such policy adoption also discourages favoritism and sexual harassment, stave off abuse and minimize miscommunication within the enterprise,” he said. - By WILLIAM DEPASUPIL, TMT

ALU-TUCP: Economic managers have no real plan to anticipate rise in prices of goods, services

ABS-CBN News graphics 

Workers’ group Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) said the inflation rate has reached this high because the country’s economic managers have no real plan that would anticipate the rise in the prices of goods and services.

“We see no indication that this growing poverty will cease to grow because there seems to be no strategy specifically designed by economic managers,” said ALU TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay in a statement.

Even if the markets will be flooded with imported rice and vegetables, he said the people have no money to buy these goods.

ALU-TUCP then renewed its call for the enactment of their proposed P500 monthly cash subsidy from government for four-million minimum-wage earners under SSS coverage.
“We call this the Labor Empowerment and Assistance Program (LEAP) and is intended to mitigate the economic miscalculations of TRAIN 1, the knock-on depreciation of the peso in the light of the US increase in its interest rates, and the ongoing increase in international oil prices,” said Tanjusay.

He said there is also need to bridge the gap in the decline of real wages as inflation climbs.

The ALU-TUCP reiterated its call for a substantive wage adjustment by the regional wage boards to compensate workers.

The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition said the soaring inflation needs drastic solutions to ease its impact especially to low-income earners who are not beneficiaries of the tax exemption contained in the Train law.

Among the solutions that the group suggested is the suspension of the implementation of the excise tax in petroleum products to lower its price and subject its reimplementation if needed to Congress.

Nagkaisa said the government should also provide ample support to farmers and fishers for the sustainable production of staple food such as rice, vegetables and fish.
A nationwide crackdown on traders who hoard supply of rice and other basic goods is also in order, said the group.

Nagkaisa said Congress should also review the present minimum-wage fixing mechanism aimed at establishing a new wage policy and mechanism that would provide just wage increase anchored on the constitutional mandate of granting workers a living wage.

It added that other relevant agencies of government should work together to bring to the factories and communities basic goods at subsidized price through “rolling stores” or the like. - By Leslie Ann Aquino

Dismissing Usec Maglunsod is a great loss to the DOLE; he’s no NPA

Usec Maglungsod performs his mandate well in the DOLE. He is no NPA (non-performing asset).

In his short stint as undersecretary of labor for industrial relations, he has bridge the “gap of trust” between organized labor and the department by personally acting on complaints and facing mass actions of workers at the DOLE office in Intramuros. He has also pain stakingly conduct dialogues between employers and organized labor relaying to them the department’s effort on enforcing laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting with the end in view of respecting the rights of both the workers and employers.

USec Joemag, as many in organized labor fondly called him, is a great loss to the department.

President Duterte has made a major mistake in dismissing the services of Usec Joemag at the DOLE only to heed the advice of the military and anti-worker elements of his administration.

Labor groups say Usec. Maglunsod’s dismissal a mistake

Labor groups said President Duterte made a major mistake when he dismissed Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod.

Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod (Photo courtesy of International Labour Organization via Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)

Partido Manggagawa Chairperson Rene Magtubo said Maglunsod, who has been performing his mandate very well, is a great loss to the Department of Labor and Employment.

“In his short stint as undersecretary of labor for industrial relations, he has bridge the ‘gap of trust’ between organized labor and the department by personally acting on complaints and facing mass actions of workers at the DOLE office in Intramuros,” he said in a statement.

“He has also pain stakingly conducted dialogues between employers and organized labor relaying to them the department’s effort on enforcing laws and regulations pertaining to labor contracting with the end in view of respecting the rights of both the workers and employers,” added Magtubo.

The Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) echoed what PM said.

“Jomag was always ready to listen and work out solutions to workers in trouble with their employers. Jomag was key DOLE official in helping move the very important security of tenure bill. He was also a key DOLE official in regularizing thousands of endo workers become regular workers,” said Alan Tanjusay, spokesperson of the ALU-TUCP.

Militant labor group Bukluran Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), meantime, view the dismissal of Maglunsod as the administration’s way to appease Duterte’s true bosses- the foreign and local capitalists.

“It is evident that the firing of Maglunsod signifies where Duterte’s loyalty really lies,” said BMP president Luke Espirtu.

BMP said the President is mistaken if he thinks that the sudden dismissal of Maglunsod will neutralize the increasing militance of the labor movement.

Espiritu explained that not unless a major policy shift is promulgated, the workers will continue to assert what is rightfully theirs adding that labor groups are unanimous in pushing for the abolition of contractualization, living wages and scrapping of the regressive TRAIN Law.

“Ultimately, removing Maglunsod will not dampen the fighting spirit and militance of workers because the exploitative and oppressive policies remain intact,” he said.
Duterte announced the firing of Maglunsod, Tuesday.

He did not give any reason for the sacking but mentioned the “rising number” of workers strikes in the country. - By Leslie Ann Aquino

Duterte certifies ‘end to endo’ bill as urgent

He cited the need to immediately enact Senate Bill 1826, titled “An Act Strengthening Workers Right to Security of Tenure,” in a letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III dated Sept. 21.

MANILA, Philippines — MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has certified as urgent a bill that seeks to prohibit contractualization and labor-only contracting, practices that he said are causing poverty and underemployment in the country.

He cited the need to immediately enact Senate Bill 1826, titled “An Act Strengthening Workers Right to Security of Tenure,” in a letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III dated Sept. 21.

The President said the measure would strengthen workers’ security of tenure by prohibiting the “prevalent” practices of contractualization and labor-only contracting, describing these as something that “continue to immerse our workers in a quagmire of poverty and underemployment.”

“It is now certified urgent by the President, in line with his promise to put an end to endo (end of contract),” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing yesterday.

When the president certifies a bill as urgent, it will not be covered by the rule which states that a measure can only be approved on final reading three days after its approval on second reading.

The House of Representatives approved its version of the bill last January.

Roque said the Senate version aims to bar all forms of labor-only contracting and does not exempt contractors with huge capital.

Under the bill, there is labor-only contracting if the job contractor, whether licensed or not, merely recruits, supplies or places workers to a contractee, whether he has substantial capital or investment.

If the bill is enacted, companies would have to hire employees directly and could no longer source workers from employment agencies.

“This effectively repeals the provision of the Labor Code that permits labor-only contracting as long as the company has enough capital and assets,” Roque said.

Labor groups are becoming more optimistic that the country is closer to ending illegal short-term employment.

“We are near the goal. It’s closer than it has ever been, but we still have some work to do. The Senate has been given a directive to craft a law that will end contractualization. We must see this through and ensure that the proposed measure shall address the weaknesses of existing laws on security of tenure,” said labor coalition Nagkaisa chairman Sonny Matula.

He said the workers’ campaign to eradicate the endo scheme and other illegal forms of contractualization got a big push after Duterte certified the security of tenure bill as urgent.

“Labor’s persistence has so far paid off. Our relentless efforts have shown dividends. After more than two years, the Duterte administration has finally made a big step towards the fulfillment of a campaign promise,” Matula noted.

To ensure that legislators act on the certification, he said labor groups would mount more rallies to ask the lawmakers to pass the bill at the soonest time.“With the election season fast approaching, the Senate and House of Representatives, voting separately, are under pressure to ratify the harmonized version and submit the law for the President’s enactment,” Matula said. The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) also lauded Duterte for certifying as urgent the security of tenure (SOT) bill, which was already approved by Congress on third reading.

Gerard Seno, ALU-TUCP national executive vice president, said the certification of the SOT bill is definitely a positive vibe to workers whose morale has been low due to rising cost of living.“We pray that it will be passed by Congress consistent with the presidential promise instead of being watered down by the corporate vested interests which are overrepresented in Congress,” he said.TUCP party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza said the certification from the President is an early Christmas gift for workers who continue to struggle in making both ends meet.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III claimed that DOLE has long recommended the need to certify the SOT bill as urgent.

“We are now looking forward to the better implementation of regulation ensuring security of tenure of workers with the expected passage of the SOT bill,” he said.Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod hopes that the bill will be passed by November, if not early next year.– Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star) With Mayen Jaymalin

Palace certifies as urgent Senate’s anti-‘endo’ bill

MALACAÑANG has asked that Senate Bill 1826 or the Security of Tenure (SoT) Bill be certified as urgent, following President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s commitment to abolish “endo,” an employment practice that denies workers a path to permanent status.

In a palace document dated Sept. 21, Mr. Duterte asked Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III to “certify the necessity of the immediate enactment” of the SOT Bill.

Malacañang added that the bill needs to pass to “strengthen workers’ security of tenure by prohibiting the prevalent practice of contractualization and labor-only contracting which continue to immerse our workers in a quagmire of poverty and underemployment.”

Mr. Sotto said in an interview with reporters that the chamber will push for the bill’s passage before Congress adjourns on Oct. 12.

“We’ll do our best to pass it by Oct. 11,” he said.

Sen. Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, who chairs the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, added: “We certainly need a law that will not only uphold our workers’ basic labor rights and restore dignity of work, but also a law that will promote quality employment without jeopardizing business operations but rather create more stable jobs for every Filipino.”

The Senator, who is also the author and principal sponsor of the bill, added that the SoT bill will address the interests of both the labor and business sectors.

Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello expressed the hope that the law will pass and be implemented promptly.

At a briefing on Tuesday, Mr. Bello said he has a personal timetable of October passage for the bill allowing it to be signed into law by December.

Labor Undersecretary Joel B. Maglunsod said in a chance interview on Tuesday that the move to certify the bill is “(a step forward).”

Nagkaisa Labor Coalition (NAGKAISA) Chairperson Jose Sonny G. Matula said the process of certification brings the sector closer to the goal of ending contractualization.

“It’s closer than it has ever been but we still have some work to do,” Mr. Matula, who is also the President of the Federation of Free Workers, said in a statement on Tuesday.

He added, “After more than two years, the Duterte administration has finally made a big step towards the fulfillment of a campaign promise.”

Associated Labor Unions — Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) National Executive Vice-President Gerard R. Seno said in a press release, “The moment the SOT bill is enacted into law, there is now a chance for contractual workers to be included in the country’s growing economic growth.”

For his part, Employers Confederation of the Philippines Acting President Sergio R. Luis-Ortiz, Jr. stressed that the passage of this bill could effectively reduce the labor force, adding that employers will be deterred from hiring workers especially for high-demand periods like Christmas.

He added that eliminating contractualization will also put off current and potential foreign investments from the country.

“Many foreign investors are turned off (by the measure),” he said in a phone interview with BusinessWorld on Tuesday.

“You cannot (remove contractualization); we’ll be the only one in the world to do that,” he added, noting that the contracting of services not directly affecting the company’s business is a common global business practice. — Gillian M. Cortez

Duterte certifies as urgent anti-contractualization bill

Organized labor finally got a big push in its quest to end Contractualization.

President Rodrigo Duterte has certified as urgent Senate Bill 1826 that seeks to end Contractualization and strengthen security of tenure of workers.

“NAGKAISA welcomes the certification of President Duterte,” said Atty. Sonny Matula, chairperson of the Nagkaisa! Labor Coalition.

“We are near the goal. It’s closer than it has ever been, but we still have some work to do. The Senate has been given a directive to craft a law that will end Contractualization. We must see this through and ensure that the proposed measure shall address the weaknesses of existing laws on security of tenure,” Matula said.

Nagkaisa has consistently campaigned against Contractualization since its inception in 2012.

“Labor’s persistence has so far paid off. Our relentless efforts have shown dividends. Now is not the time to rest. After more than two years, the Duterte administration has finally made a big step towards the fulfillment of a campaign promise,” said Matula, who is also the president of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW).

“We shall mount more pressure within the halls of Congress and the parliament of the streets,” said Matula.

Once passed by the Senate, a bicameral conference will be convened by both chambers of Congress to harmonize the provisions of the separate bills.

“With the election season fast approaching, the Senate and House of Representatives, voting separately, is under pressure to ratify the harmonized version and submit the law for the president’s enactment,” Matula said.

Workers' strikes result of Duterte's policy failure – labor groups

File photo

MANILA, Philippines  – Labor groups hit back at President Rodrigo Duterte, saying that strikes are a result of the Chief Executive's failure to uplift working conditions.

In a live interview with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on on Tuesday, September 11, Duterte said investors were leaving the country because workers were staging strikes.

Duterte particularly cited the Kilusang Mayo Uno: "Itong KMU, sige strike. Eh di magsara ano [ang mga negosyo]. Sino magugutom? Pilipino." (KMU keeps on holding strikes. So businesses close. Who goes hungry? The Filipinos.)

"Walang negosyante papasok. After 3 months, mag-strike kayo. Malulugi kapital niya, kaya sila nagsiawatan. Sa China, walang strike. Trabaho lang," he added.

(Businessmen won't come here [because when they do], after 3 months, you hold strikes. There will not be enough returns for their capital, that's why they are backing out. In China, they don't have strikes. They only work.)

The KMU reminded the President that the right to strike is a "universal workers' right guaranteed by international and domestic laws."

"The upsurge of workers' strikes these past months are results of Duterte's failure to end contractualization, refusal to address the rising prices of commodities by implementing a significant wage hike, and of the government's fascist attacks against trade union and human rights," KMU chairperson Bong Labog said in a statement.

In a text message to Rappler, Sentro secretary-general Josua Mata said Duterte had failed to understand the country's economic situation. (READ: [ANALYSIS] Why is Philippine inflation now the highest in ASEAN?)

"There are certainly a number of reasons why investors are leaving – the terrible state of our infrastructure, gargantuan traffic, high power rates, unpredictable policy environment, corruption – but the labor movement's advocacy for workers' rights is not one of them," Mata said.

"It’s red tape, corruption, poor and ageing infrastructure that discourages investors not labor advocates," Alan Tanjusay said, spokesperson of Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).

Labor groups have slammed the administration's policies, and accused Duterte of siding with businesses instead of the workers for failing to end contractualization. This year's Labor Day observance brought together 20,000 workers and various groups – the biggest protest in years.

The groups have called for a wage increase due to higher prices brought by high inflation rates.

The Global Workers' Rights Index 2018 shows the Philippines is ranked among the worst countries to work in. – Aika Rey @reyaika Rappler.com

Workers urge Roque: Check market prices

NOISE PROTEST Farmers bang empty pots during a rally in Mendiola to denounce the rapid increase in rice prices, which are now beyond the reach of poor consumers. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Labor groups urged presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday to go to market — a nod to a nursery rhyme — to get a sense of how Filipinos were hard-pressed in stretching their budgets amid soaring prices of basic commodities.

They issued the challenge after Roque said on Friday that while the 6.4-percent inflation rate in August was higher than usual, “it’s nothing to be worried about.”

The public may not find comfort in the Palace official’s assurance as fuel prices have increased anew, a development that can thwart efforts to tame inflation.

For the fifth week in a row, oil companies in the country increased pump prices. Prices of diesel, gasoline and kerosene went up by 65 centavos per liter starting 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

Insensitive

A moderate labor group, Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa, said Roque’s effort to downplay the impact of the high inflation was not only antipoor but also reeked of “insensitivity.”

“The inflation rate is pushing the prices of food way beyond the capacity of the majority of poor Filipinos, whether they are employed or unemployed,” said Sentro secretary general Josua Mata.

Inflation last month was the highest in nine years. It stood at 7 percent in Metro Manila and 9 percent in Bicol.

Prices of food, especially rice, fish, meat and vegetables, and nonalcoholic beverages rose 8.5 percent.

Vegetables and fish may now be out of reach of the poor because their prices, according to government data, rose nationwide in August by 19.2 percent and 12.4 percent, respectively.

In the absence of subsidized rice from the state-owned National Food Authority (NFA) in many parts of the country, commercial rice is no longer affordable to many Filipinos as its prices have hit record highs.

The shortage of cheap NFA rice prompted the local governments to declare a state of calamity two weeks ago in Zamboanga City and Tawi-Tawi province, where prices of the staple rose to up to P70 and P80 a kilo, respectively.

Deep anxiety

Roque may have nothing to worry about the rising cost of living given the status and lifestyle of his family, according to the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).

“But in the case of millions of poor Filipinos already deep in poverty, this current inflation is a cause of depression and deep anxiety for them,’’ said ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.

Tanjusay said power and high-handedness might have gone into the head of Roque “that he had lost touch of what makes poor people sing.”

Nagkaisa labor coalition spokesperson Rene Magtubo said Filipinos “have every [reason] to worry.”

“Is he living on another planet?” Magtubo said, referring to the presidential spokesperson. “It’s very difficult now to fit our low wages with the continued increase in the price of basic commodities.”

As Filipinos become increasingly food insecure, the three labor groups called on President Duterte to sack his economic managers, as well as Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and NFA Administrator Jason Aquino.

“Their incompetence is clearly part of the problem,” Mata said.

Price rigging, hoarding

In the House of Representatives, Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. urged the National Price Coordinating Council to look into reports that some unscrupulous individuals may be involved in price manipulation and “widespread hoarding.”

“In some places, inflation is higher than the national average. Rice and gas prices have shot through the roof in many provinces where the cost of transporting them is expensive,” the Camarines Sur lawmaker said in a statement.

Besides a depleted NFA buffer stock and hoarding, rising fuel prices, weakening of the peso, low supply of certain commodities and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act were blamed for the surging cost of living.

TRAIN impact

The TRAIN law, which took effect on Jan. 1, jacked up or slapped new taxes on goods, such as oil, cigarettes, sugary drinks and vehicles, to compensate for raising the cap on tax-exempt personal income to an annual pay of P250,000.

Prices of diesel have gone up 25 times this year but have gone down 11 times for a net increase of P11.80 per liter, according to the Department of Energy.

Prices of gasoline have risen 26 times but have fallen 10 times for a net increase of P11.47.

Seeking to ease fears that inflation might worsen in the coming months, Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu said on Monday that rising prices were just a “birth pain” of the TRAIN law,

“Like in the delivery of a baby, we will all feel happiness after the child’s birth,” the Batangas lawmaker said at a news briefing. “As they say, we should relax for now. We will eventually feel its gains.”

Half cup of rice

Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe said the TRAIN law should not be blamed for the high inflation.

Batocabe said the people had been complaining about the rising prices of goods because “they were used” to the low level of inflation during the Aquino administration.

“Maybe we should tighten our belts some more,” he said. “We should also stop wasting rice. If you cannot finish a cup of rice, then just buy half a cup instead.” -
By: Jovic Yee, Marlon Ramos, Ronnel W. Domingo - @inquirerdotnet

Labor groups lament continued rise in inflation

Labor groups on Wednesday lamented the continued rise in inflation.

Rene Magtubo of Partido Manggawa said the continued rise in inflation makes life harder for workers and their families.

(Czar Dancel/ MANILA BULLETIN)

“The continued rise in inflation makes life of ordinary workers’ families harder, struggling daily to make both ends meet against rising prices of rice and other basic commodities,” he said in a statement.

Magtubo urged the government to provide “immediate relief” by making available to low income wage earners discounted price of rice and other basic commodities.

This, he said is aside from a legislated across the board wage increase to address the widening gap between workers’ average wage and the present cost of living.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) condemned government incompetence and lack of social safety net initiatives to help workers cope with rising prices of basic commodities and surging costs of utilities and services.

“It looks like government officials especially those some appointed to the Executive Department including President Duterte’s economic managers are incompetent to provide mitigating measures to relief workers affected by the incredible increases in the prices of goods and services. Are the Duterte cabinet officials still working for workers, the people?” said ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay in a separate statement.

He said there is no existing initiative from Duterte administration to provide social safety net programs to ameliorate both those workers who have fallen into deeper poverty and those who are about to fall due to rising cost of living and falling value of wages.

Tanjusay said government should have been implementing targeted approach to ran after and prosecute profiteers nationwide who unnecessarily jack up the prices and help induce inflation.

“Government should have also provided safety net programs to various types of workers affected by rising cost of living,” he said.

“Employers and business owners, on the other hand, seems cold and unsympathetic to the plight of their economically distressed employees. Responsible employers and conscientious business owners take care of their workers and not wait or just depend on government assistance,” Tanjusay added.

Based on the group’s monitoring and evaluation of the inflation versus the daily minimum wage, the average total daily minimum wage nationwide fell to P200 a day effective September 1 from P208.83 in June 2018. -By Leslie Ann Aquino

House approves bill granting 100-day paid maternity leave

(5th UPDATE) The bicameral conference committee will now have to reconcile conflicting provisions of the bill, as the Senate version proposes a 120-day paid maternity leave

MATERNITY LEAVE. Lawmakers give the green light to the bill seeking to extend paid maternity leave to 100 days. 

MANILA, Philippines (5th UPDATE) – The bill seeking to grant a 100-day paid maternity leave to both government and private sector employees hurdled the House of Representatives.

Voting 191-0-0, lawmakers approved House Bill (HB) No. 4113 or the proposed 100-Day Maternity Leave Law on 3rd and final reading on Tuesday, September 4. It was approved on second reading just a week ago on August 28.

HB No. 4113 aims to extend the current 60-day leave by another 40 days and would also give female employees the option to extend their maternity leave by another 30 days without pay.

The extended paid maternity leave bill, however, will have to pass through the bicameral conference committee, composed by members of both the House and the Senate.

This is because the Senate version of HB 4113, approved on 3rd and final reading in March 2017, seeks a longer paid maternity leave of 120 days. And unlike the House bill which does not increase fathers' 7-day paid leave under Republic Act No. 7322, Senate Bill No. 1305 also seeks a 30-day paid leave for fathers.

Legislators have to reconcile conflicting provisions of the measure before President Rodrigo Duterte can sign it into law. (READ: Duterte backs longer maternity leave)

What are the provisions of the bill? HB 4113 grants the 100-day paid maternity leave to a pregnant female worker regardless of her civil status, legitimacy of her child, and whether she gave birth via caesarian section or natural delivery.

The maternity leave would also be granted to female employees in every instance of pregnancy, miscarriage, or abortion, regardless of its frequency.

The maternity leave also cannot be deferred, but it should be availed of by the woman either before or after the actual period of "delivery in a continuous and uninterrupted manner."

Section 13 of HB 4113 guarantees security of tenure of the mother who would avail of the maternity leave, and bars her company or government agency from demoting or firing her for taking her maternity leave.

What are the other benefits? A mother would also have these benefits under HB 4113:

• A female member of the Social Security System (SSS) who has paid at least 3 monthly contributions in the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage shall be paid her daily maternity benefit. This would be computed based on the average monthly salary credit for 100 days.
• Female workers in the private sector under maternity leave must receive not less than two-thirds of their regular monthly wages.
• Employers of female workers in the private sector must be responsible for the salary differential between the actual cash benefits received from SSS and their average weekly or regular wages, for the entire duration of the maternity leave.
• HB 4113, if passed into law, should not diminish the existing maternity benefits granted by the employer with or without collective bargaining agreements or under present laws, "if more beneficial to the female employee."

What are advocates saying? Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas hailed the passage of extended paid maternity leave.

"This is historic as this is the first time that the expanded maternity leave bill hurdles all the stages at the House of Representatives since we first filed the measure 10 years ago. We congratulate various women's groups and partners of Gabriela Women's Party for tirelessly pushing the Lower House to act on the 100-day maternity leave bill," said Brosas.

"Pagkilala ito sa produktibong papel ng kababaihan sa ekonomiya at pagtataguyod ng kanilang karapatan sa maternal health na laman ng Konstitusyon (This is a recognition of the productive role that women play in the economy and their right to maternal health stipulated in the Constitution)," she added.

Akbayan Representative Tom Villarin also called HB 4113's approval a "victory for women workers."

"Naniniwala ang Akbayan na hatid nito hindi lang ang mga benepisyong pangkalusugan para sa mga manggagawang buntis, kundi maging ang proteksyon sa kanilang kapakanan at karapatan bilang manggagawang kababaihan," he said.

(Akbayan believes this would bring not only health benefits for pregnant workers, but it would also protect their rights as female employees.)

Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality, congratulated her counterparts in the House who pushed for the bill.

"Enough rest will give new mothers time for recuperation and recovery from childbirth. It will also improve on families' overall well-being, with newborn infants being properly taken care of," Hontiveros said.

"A healthy working population means less sick leaves and more productivity," she added.

The Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), a group composed of lawmakers from the Senate and the House, said "this victory has opened new doors for advancing not only women's rights but also children's rights and welfare."

"But a few more crucial steps are needed to ensure that the expanded maternity leave bill will be a law. The [PLCPD] urges both houses of Congress to fast-track the convening of the bicameral conference committee and ratify the final version of the bill," the group said.

"We are confident that President Rodrigo Duterte will hold on to his commitment to support the expanded maternity leave and that he will immediately sign the bill into law."

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) also hailed the bill's approval as a "sweet victory for Filipino women workers who have lobbied and belabored for the mandatory welfare for more than a decade."

ALU-TUCP vice president and women's committee head Eva Arcos said the measure is "the country's non-cash investment in producing a healthy, intelligent, and well-developed future breed of Filipino workers." – Rappler.com

Pregnant woman image from Shutterstock

Workers' daily minimum buying power reduced to P200 per day

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said Saturday the buying power of workers' standard minimum in the private sector nationwide fell to P200 a day.

Citing the group's monitoring and evaluation of the inflation versus the daily minimum wage, ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the average total daily minimum wage nationwide fell today to P200 a day effective this week from P208.83 in June 2018.

In June 2018, the total average of different daily minimum wage rates across the country was P335 and its equivalent buying power is P208.83, according to the labor group.

“What can workers buy for him and for his family nowadays with the value of his minimum pay of P200 a day?” Tanjusay said in a statement.

"Without a serious government social safety program in place and a significant wage increase to address the worsening economic depression, a decreasing buying power of wage bears harmful effect to workers’ health and capacity to produce quality goods and services needed by employers and business owners to thrive," he added.

According to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the amount needed by a family of five in order to live decently is P44,000 a month or P1,400 a day.

The segment of work force already affected by the crisis are those entry-level, rank-and-file, contractual, short-term, and end-of-contract employees receiving minimum pay working in manufacturing and services sector, the labor group said.

However, the most heavily affected segment of the labor force by high inflation and decreasing purchasing power are those 11 million unemployed and those 15.6 million workers working in the informal economy.

“The unemployed obviously are scraping what’s left at rock bottom and very susceptible to any means to survive. While workers in the informal economy —since they have no fixed income —are also very insecure,” Tanjusay said.

With this, the labor group expects a lower output contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by workers affected by shrinking value of their pay and continuously rising prices.

The shrinking value of their salary, ALU-TUCP said, impacted the workers health and their productivity particularly their capacity to produce quality goods and services needed by employers and business owners to prosper.

“With the poor workers option to buy quality and nutritious food for him and for his family has been decreasing, expect an unhappy and less productive employees in the weeks ahead. Take note that these very vulnerable segment of workers are already have no security of tenure, no fixed income, inadequate social protection benefits and confronted by difficult and stressful external forces,” Tanjusay said.

TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza has filed a bill in the House of the Representatives seeking a P320 a day across-the-board wage increase for workers in manufacturing, agriculture and service sectors.

The ALU-TUCP has also sought government for a P500 monthly grocery subsidy for minimum wage earners to help them cope with rising inflation and eroding wages.

The group also has petitioned the 17 regional wage boards nationwide to increase workers’ pay by P320 a day.

However, only nine regional wage boards have made wage adjustments since May this year ranging from P10 to P56 a day on installment basis, it said. —Ted Cordero/LBG, GMA News

Supreme Court final ruling settles TUCP leadership row

The Supreme Court (SC) on June 20, 2018 issued a resolution denying with FINALITY the motion for reconsideration filed by the group of the former and late Sen. Ernesto Herrera on the issue of determining the legitimate member organizations of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP). The highest court’s final ruling finally settled the issue of legal and legitimate representation and leadership of the labor center, particularly the legality and legitimacy of convening the TUCP General Council and the hodling of TUCP Convention and election of officers that was held on April 2, 2016 in TUCP Headquarters in Diliman, Quezon City, where all the 27 member-organizations were invited to participate pursuant to Article VI of the TUCP Constitution and By-Laws.

During the said Convention, the 17 member-organizations/federations present and in good standing constituting a quorum elected Rep. Raymond Mendoza from the Associated Labor Unions (ALU) as President; Atty. Arnel Dolendo from the Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization (PTGWO) as General Secretary; and Esperanza Ocampo from the Philippine Government Employees Association (PGEA) as Treasurer. The delegates also elected the other members of the TUCP Executive Board representing other TUCP federations with a 5-year term of office until 2021.

The conduct of the TUCP Convention and Regular Election of Officers, in compliance with the orders and resolutions of the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court, and the Bureau of Labor Relations, put to rest the issue on TUCP leadership along with the demise of its key leaders – Atty. Democrito Mendoza of ALU, former Sen. Ernesto F. Herrera of AMAPO, Victorino F. Balais of PTGWO and Zoilo dela Cruz of NACUSIP.

The Convention and election of the new officers of TUCP were held in pursuant to the Writ of Execution issued by the Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR) on 11 August 2015 implementing the Decision of the Court of Appeals dated 07 October 2013, as amended by its Resolution issued on 16 June 2014, and as affirmed by the Supreme Court in its Resolutions dated 27 August 2014 and 09 February 2015. The Writ of Execution issued by the BLR on 11 August 2015 with respect to the leadership issue of the TUCP is deemed complied with.

The most recent decision of the Supreme Court has the practical effect of affirming and sustaining the legitimacy of the 02 April 2016 8th TUCP Convention and Regular Election of Officers which resulted to election of current leadership under President Raymond Mendoza.

With the final decision of the Supreme Court, the TUCP could now be able to fully revitalize, consolidate and further expand its membership with an open-door policy to the other 10 legitimate organizations of the TUCP that went with the group of Sen. Herrera during the leadership dispute.

The TUCP under the leadership of Rep. Mendoza can now fully revive its participation in the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and re-connect wih other national and international labor and fraternal organizations. Also, the organization can now proceed full steam ahead to reconstituting its working committees and functional deparments to develop and offer more programs and services to its members in the manufacturing, services, transportation, and agriculture sectors nationwide including its OFW members both land and sea-based. It can also now fully develop its properties and facilities without legal question or any impediment which will greatly help in strengthening the operations of the TUCP for the benefit of workers, their families and communities.

The TUCP leadership is very grateful to all its allies and supporters in the government, in the media, and in the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition who believed in the legitimate leadership of the TUCP under Rep. Mendoza. The labor center commits to continue its work to serving the Filipino workers in the country and overseas. - TUCP Labor Center Statement